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Maritime history and survey of the Cape Fear and Northeast Cape Fear rivers, Wilmington Harbor, North Carolina. Volume 1: Maritime history

Middle Island
Smith Island at the mouth of the Cape Fear River is actually comprised of three named
islands and several marsh islands. From north to south the three named islands are
Bluff, Middle, and Bald Head. The long and narrow Middle Island extends from the East
Beach approximately 3,400 yards to the northwest. The forested island is bounded by
tidal flats on either side and by Cape Creek to the north and Bald Head Creek to the
south. Middle Island has only been indicated by name since the 1960s (Anonymous
1 964; (USGS 1 970c; NOAA 1 992).
Negro Island
On an anonymous eighteenth century map Negro Island is shown near the west side of
the Cape Fear River below Town Creek and Large Island (Campbell Island). No further
reference or current association could be made for this island (Anonymous, ca.
eighteenth century).
Oak Island
Oak Island is presently a peninsula formed between the Elizabeth River and the
Atlantic Ocean. Located on the western side of the mouth of the Cape Fear River, the
land mass first appeared as a named island on the 1733 Wimble map. The Lords
Proprietors deeded Oak Island to Maurice Moore in 1727. The island in its entirety was
owned by individuals until 1825, when it was purchased by the U.S. government for
defensive installations. From 1733 to the present Oak Island has been illustrated on
numerous maps (Powell 1968:359; Herring and Williams 1983:121; Wimble 1733;
1738; Collet 1770; Potter 1814; USACOE 1827; U.S. Coast Survey 1851; 1853; 1857b;
1858; 1859a; NOAA 1992).
Shellbed Island (Shellbank Island)
On an anonymous map drawn in 1 964, Shellbank Island is shown as one of the marsh
islands of northern Smith Island. This same marsh island, adjacent to the Thorofare, is
indicated as Shellbed Island on the current navigation map (Anonymous 1964; NOAA
1992)
Smith Island Complex (Cape Island, Cape Land, Cape Fear Island, Cedar Island,
Bald Head Island, Palmetto Island)
Smith or Smith's Island is actually of complex of islands with forested dune and beach
ridges, salt marshes, and tidal bays and creeks. The islands and marshes at the river's
mouth correspond roughly to the area originally acquired by Thomas Smith in 1713,
then known as Cape Island. The first known map to indicate the island by name was
the Moseley map of 1733, which showed it labeled as "Landgrave Smiths Island." On
the Wimble map from the same year the island was marked "Cape Land," as it was on
the Hyrne map of 1749. When Thomas Smith willed the island to his four sons in 1738,
65

Middle Island
Smith Island at the mouth of the Cape Fear River is actually comprised of three named
islands and several marsh islands. From north to south the three named islands are
Bluff, Middle, and Bald Head. The long and narrow Middle Island extends from the East
Beach approximately 3,400 yards to the northwest. The forested island is bounded by
tidal flats on either side and by Cape Creek to the north and Bald Head Creek to the
south. Middle Island has only been indicated by name since the 1960s (Anonymous
1 964; (USGS 1 970c; NOAA 1 992).
Negro Island
On an anonymous eighteenth century map Negro Island is shown near the west side of
the Cape Fear River below Town Creek and Large Island (Campbell Island). No further
reference or current association could be made for this island (Anonymous, ca.
eighteenth century).
Oak Island
Oak Island is presently a peninsula formed between the Elizabeth River and the
Atlantic Ocean. Located on the western side of the mouth of the Cape Fear River, the
land mass first appeared as a named island on the 1733 Wimble map. The Lords
Proprietors deeded Oak Island to Maurice Moore in 1727. The island in its entirety was
owned by individuals until 1825, when it was purchased by the U.S. government for
defensive installations. From 1733 to the present Oak Island has been illustrated on
numerous maps (Powell 1968:359; Herring and Williams 1983:121; Wimble 1733;
1738; Collet 1770; Potter 1814; USACOE 1827; U.S. Coast Survey 1851; 1853; 1857b;
1858; 1859a; NOAA 1992).
Shellbed Island (Shellbank Island)
On an anonymous map drawn in 1 964, Shellbank Island is shown as one of the marsh
islands of northern Smith Island. This same marsh island, adjacent to the Thorofare, is
indicated as Shellbed Island on the current navigation map (Anonymous 1964; NOAA
1992)
Smith Island Complex (Cape Island, Cape Land, Cape Fear Island, Cedar Island,
Bald Head Island, Palmetto Island)
Smith or Smith's Island is actually of complex of islands with forested dune and beach
ridges, salt marshes, and tidal bays and creeks. The islands and marshes at the river's
mouth correspond roughly to the area originally acquired by Thomas Smith in 1713,
then known as Cape Island. The first known map to indicate the island by name was
the Moseley map of 1733, which showed it labeled as "Landgrave Smiths Island." On
the Wimble map from the same year the island was marked "Cape Land," as it was on
the Hyrne map of 1749. When Thomas Smith willed the island to his four sons in 1738,
65